today is the last day for Con. Anne’s staying right until the bitter end. Good for her. I packed up Greg’s Cw stuff and that’s ready for him. He’s not working tonight so I hope he sticks around for me so I can hand it to him.

I was able to call Neil there and he said he’d be more then happy to offer me a ride to lodge. I got ready and suited up and waited out in one of the worst nights I think we’ve had here this winter. Snow cold the wind we had it all and about 7pm and still no Neil. Finally a car. Yes, someone in my front seat? “Jim say hello to Mike from Bellmora lodge out to see how a MM degree is really done York style.” On my way the phone rang and I thought at 7pm, Anne. Nope, it was Audrey’s. One of my “Forgotten Realm’s” Omni bus books came in. Excellent. Then Anne called right away. On my way to lodge, I’d call her back. I could have talked to her in the back seat there. I tried calling her back but I think she was back at work.

Driving down 50th we were wondering what the turnout would be on a night like this. Surprisingly the parking lot (lawn area) was busy. We usually have a good turnout for a MM degree night from other lodges. Actually 7 other lodges. Last night all I wanted was to be a bum in a chair. Besides I saw this thing about 6 weeks ago at Stratchconna 77. They looked like they had enough FC anyway. We were going to do the long version of the degree and well ok, I’ll settle in. We had 2 candidates and a couple of brand new MM’s out visiting their first nights as MM’s. Got to love it. Sandwiches. I tried calling Anne but she wasn’t answering. Good festive board. I spent $5 bucks and that was about it. I think what I’m going to do is next installation is to take a chair. Tyler sounds good. Real lodge work is done at the chair level. Neil drove me back. Anne made me a bit of lunch and I did some computer work for awhile and then went right to bed. Anne didn’t come in until something like 4am. Rather sad for Con what this being their last night. Since last week they’ve been operating with only a small crew of maybe less then a dozen people. You know it’s one thing to have a company fall for one reason or another but to have it fall because they couldn’t find workers to staff the place is sad. If I was a call center operation I wouldn’t move into Edmonton. The economic climate isn’t good for it. Gives me a new appreciation for my own company.

Amway’s Con is done as of tonight. Anne’s going right into her other job as of Monday but I don’t like the extra traveling she has to do to go there and if she’s on a last minute survey she could miss that bus and end up waiting in that cold bus shelter waiting 20 minutes for the next one just to get to Corona station and wait 20 min for the train. She’s going to try it out and if it’s not that good then she can go to the other call center closer to where Con was. Actually the one I want her to go to is right around the corner from Con. I wish she would have gone there but this place called her up right away and hired her on the spot.

Anyway the Oiler’s played last night in Washington. A nice tribute to our Canadian troops in Afghanistan. Thanks guys. The Oiler’s took it to a shootout but lost 4-5. They get a point and on the road. Tonight they are in Carolina.

Monday Anne’s over there at Bar. Ok, she can try it out but if she’s not getting home until 11pm most nights, I don’t think I like her out at that time of night. At least in the LRT she has the security knowing there’s security cameras around. If she doesn’t like it then she can always go to the other place. It uses the same Dash system she’s been using for 5 years same with the other place except it’s closer. Consumer C I salute you. Thanks for treating my wife with respect and the great five years she’s had with your company. You’re a class act.

Anyway, that’s all for now.

e. Jim